There needs to be no mention of the value of Camp Gustin or the need to save it. That is established and agreed upon.

Many wish to fight the Pine Tree Council and use public pressure to embarrass it into not selling. I think that would be a grave mistake. It appears members of the council do not share other people's values or priorities. In a few years, they could decide again to sell, with no notice to prevent an outcry. Camp Gustin needs to be taken out of the council's hands; secure for now and into the future.

I agree with Martha D. Palmer (letter, Nov. 10) that the page-one story Nov. 4 about Question 1 election results was condescending and insulting for those of us who care deeply about equal rights.

It is a crushing blow to be treated as a second-class citizen whose rights are denied that are enjoyed by others.

"The most dangerous enemy to truth and freedom amongst us is the compact majority," Henrik Ibsen.

The words to the song "Born Free" keep going through my head. Isn't that wonderful concept meant to apply to every citizen?

Let's see now: Before election day the Sun Journal editorial board, in its editorial, argued to the effect that human rights are best determined through popular vote. That is the democratic way, it was written.

Came Election Day and a narrow majority (no pun intended) of the people decided which adult, taxpaying citizens in Maine have the civil right to civil marriage, and which do not.

In light of the many things that have been going on in this country and state, politically, I have a few thoughts to share that I believe are relevant and necessary, while I still have the right to speak freely as an American.

I firmly believe that when elected officials no longer respect and carry out the intent of the majority of the people who elected them, they should then be held accountable to a process of recall and impeachment.

Having written a previous letter expressing my dismay about the deteriorating level of our national dialogue about important issues such as health care reform and other policy initiatives, we have now descended to a new level of moral degradation.

At a Nov. 5 protest rally on Capitol Hill initiated by U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., Republican leader John Boehner called the proposed health care reform bill "the greatest threat to freedom that I have seen in the 19 years I've been in Washington."

I'm upset about liberalism creeping across America.

Lenin said the following:

• "The best way to destroy the capitalist system is to debauch the currency." (Barack Obama is doing a good job of that.)

• "The press should be not only a collective propagandist and a collective agitator, but also a collective organizer of the masses." (The media are liberal and biased — that's why Fox News is hated so much; they offer a different view.)

If I were the chief executive officer of a publicly traded company and followed the fiscal/financial policies of the U.S. government since November 2008, I would be fired immediately.

Why doesn't someone with intelligence see what President Barack Obama is doing to our country? Most people cannot afford what is being proposed. Simply passing on the increased spending to children and grandchildren will only relegate them to living in a second-rate country in the years to come.

Larry Carrier, Sabattus

The people of Maine could have stood tall. We could have made history. Better yet, made a difference. Now, Maine is just another state that has denied some of its citizens their basic civil rights. We have taken the homosexual community and made them second-class citizens.

"You cannot marry," we shout in indignation. "A marriage is between one man and one woman for the purpose of procreation."

When are individuals going to grow up, mature and realize that we live in a democracy? People decide, through elections, numerous issues. We may not always agree with the outcome, but we have to accept the will of the majority.

When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American is heir. It promised that all men would be guaranteed the "unalienable rights" of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

Once again, the people of this nation, this state, have failed to embrace the ideals upon which this country was founded. Right-wing religion and a herd mentality prevailed again.

On the matter of Question 1: The Declaration of Independence states that "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." The 9th, 10th, and 14th amendments basically say, "if one can do it, everyone can do it."

I am writing in reference to the Nov. 6 article about the Maine National Guard troops shipping out to Iraq and Afghanistan.

According to the headline, the number of troops leaving will be half of Maine's National Guard. Maine Adj. General John Libby stated that he is confident that the troops remaining will be sufficient to respond to any emergencies that Maine might encounter. That is good news.

My question, then, is why are we maintaining a National Guard double the size that is actually needed for emergencies?

I have concluded there is no corruption in Washington, D.C.

Ask Mainers and they will tell you their representatives in Washington are not corrupt. The very idea is ridiculous.

Now go to the other 49 states and ask the people there if their representatives in Washington are corrupt. They will tell you their representatives are not corrupt — it has to be the representatives from the other states.

The editorial of Nov. 5 expressed a concern about the distribution of medical marijuana.

It seems to me the easiest and most secure way of dispensing this drug, as any other drug, would be through the pharmacies that are already on every other street corner in town.

Pharmacies are already regulated by the Department of Health and Human Services. What is the problem of adding one more drug to the long list they already have?

Ronald L. St. Pierre, Lewiston

I am outraged by the vote against gay marriage. I am not bisexual or gay but many others in this world are, so who, in God's name, says that it is our decision to allow it or not?

Anyone should be given the chance of happiness. No person should stand in the way of that.

I'm completely and utterly ashamed of my state, thanks to the close-minded fools residing here.

As I said before, it is not up to us to decide the marriage rights of any sexual orientation. Let love reign and peace dominate.

Reagan Simmons, Lewiston

I am outraged by the disrespect shown "No on 1" voters by the editorial staff of the Sun Journal. The description of the defeat of Question 1 as "torpedoed" by Maine voters was not only juvenile and unprofessional, but also exceedingly insulting to the 48 percent of voters who voted to preserve marriage equality.

How dare you belittle our substantial opinion? I expect professional journalists to set an example for the rest of us and fulfill their obligation to report news in an unbiased manner.

"Bundle of bunnies" was a wonderful story (Nov. 2). It's so good, for a change, to be able to read an article that is so heartwarming. Tammy Ray, whom I do not know, must be a caring, sweet, thoughtful woman. Those dear bunnies would have died out there in that field.

Shame on the person or persons who put them there. Animal abuse is inexcusable.

I thank Tammy for being the wonderful person she is. Anyone who saves an animal is a hero in my eyes. She is special. Bless her heart for doing the right thing.

Barb Bryant, Lisbon Falls

It is a crushing blow to the homosexual community to not be able to get married. But though gay marriage was vetoed, it might encourage people to try harder for what they believe.

It is also disappointing that Maine would be one of the states that oppresses a group of people. But then, why would homosexuals want to enter, through a ceremony, the same status as a group that denies them and shows hatred toward them?

Nov. 3 was a sad day in the history of Maine. In May 2009, the Legislature and the governor rightfully upheld the constitutional rights of all people to legally marry; churches could still decide if they would conduct those marriages. They correctly separated church from state and belief from law. On Nov. 3, a majority of the people of Maine retracted that law.

For the third time, Maine voters have made it clear that marriage can only be between a man and a woman. Now, if voters can only unseat some of the perverted legislators who chose to ignore, again, the majority of Maine citizens.

Question 1 had utterly nothing to do with equality or marriage. The Vote No ads were sick jokes full of lies and deceit. The gay marriage movement has everything to do with individual and familial dysfunction, adulterous sex, companionship and the perversion of God's design for gender identity and its natural function.

I am writing in regard to the letter by Jamie Pelletier (Nov. 1), "Lacking in integrity," having to do with the teachers protesting outside Auburn Middle School.

What a great opportunity to help teach children about fair wages for people who work hard to educate them.

Many teachers spend money from their own pockets to make sure that all children have the supplies they need to do well in school. They are not reimbursed for this, as most schools do not have the funds. They do this because they do have integrity.

I wanted to write and congratulate the people of the Yes on 1 campaign for their win. By obfuscating the debate with wedge issues, they completely avoided addressing the core issue of whether homosexual relationships should be accepted by society on par with heterosexual relationships. And by avoiding the real issues, the debate was about teaching children about homosexuality and various other nonsense.

The vote on Question 1 was a yes vote for the good people of Maine and a no vote to Gov. John Baldacci, who arrogantly believes he knows what is best for Maine, even though the people of Maine had told him a couple times what they want.

To now say that Maine has moved backward and that Maine people are closed-minded does not seem fair. The people of Maine accept that people who choose an alternative lifestyle are protected under Maine law; that domestic partners are allowed in Maine. Maine has allowed people to live and love the way they want.

A letter writer not too long ago defended Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity as journalists who have the guts to speak the truth to power. Limbaugh, Beck and Hannity are not journalists. They express opinions. Limbaugh has been sued for the lies he spreads. His defense has been that he is an entertainer, not a journalist.

The Bible talks about the last days; I happen to believe that we are living in them.

Jesus taught that there would be signs that would characterize that time period: false prophets and religious compromisers would increase within the visible church. There would be wars, famines and earthquakes.

As the end draws near, the persecution of the people of faith will become more severe. Society will discard law and violence and crime will rapidly rise.

Homes will be broken by divorce because natural love and family affection will decrease.